Dead in Konoha
by Nickie-chan
Summary: An incident with Sakura makes Naruto leave the village. Just outside the village, he finds a supposedly dead girl. Naruto x Kin
1. Leaving

**Hiya guys! It's me again! I', starting a new story and I don't really know how this will turn out, so please bear with me if I make any poor chapters. I will be open for suggestions, but sorry to say that I don't really like bashings. But if you like, I will try to make one story like that. Please keep supporting me! I love you! **

Naruto stared at the white hospital ceiling from his position on the hospital bed. His body, covered in bandages and stitches lay as he looked at the clean white ceiling. Any decent person would know that he was in a good mood. Why? Because he had got Sasuke back from the Valley of the End. Now everybody in the village will acknowledge him! Especially Sakura-chan! Just thinking about it makes him feel like he's in heaven.

Is if on cue the said girl entered the room. Naruto smiled and said " Sakura-chan! I kept my promise to you and brought back Sasuke!" As soon as he said that, Naruto felt a sharp pain on his cheek. He was quite surprised, for Sakura had just struck him with a hard slap to his face.

"You bastard! Sasuke-kun is almost dead! What did you do to him! I asked you to bring him back alive, not near dead!" she yelled in his face. Sakura raised her hand and brought it down sharply to slap him again, but Naruto caught it just before her hand connected with his face.

"So, this is the thanks I get for bringing him back, huh?" asked Naruto as he let out a dry laugh. He swallowed his saliva to ease the growing lump of pain in his throat and sniffled. "Maybe I should have just died and let him go."

"What are you saying! If you had let him go, I would have hated you for life!" yelled Sakura. Naruto let out another dry laugh.

"So, how different is that situation from mine now? I bring him back, I get slapped. I don't bring him back, I get hated. Tell me, how different these situations are?" asked Naruto sadly.

"You nearly killed him!" said Sakura.

"HE PUT A FUCKING CHIDORI IN MY LUNG!!! IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH!! HE WANTED TO FUCKING KILL ME!!" yelled Naruto as tears ran down his cheeks. "RIGHT HERE!! IT HURT LIKE HELL!!! I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE!!" he kept pointing to his right lung- the place Sasuke's hand went through. Sakura was scared at Naruto's sudden yelling and crying, she did the only thing that came to her mind- she slapped him again.

"Sasuke-kun would never do that!" she exclaimed. "You're just a liar! You should have just died!" Sakura realized what she just said, but words that have already been said cannot be taken back. "Naruto…I…"

"Maybe I should have just died back then," said Naruto sadly as he looked at the white ceiling to avoid seeing Sakura. "But I didn't. However, I will grant you your wish. As of this day onwards, Uzumaki Naruto will be dead in Konoha. I will not have any connections with this village what so ever, and you will never be bothered by me ever again."

"What are you saying?" asked Sakura but before she had an answer, Naruto jumped out the window. Sakura went quickly to the window; just in time to see Naruto catch the balcony of the floor below and with a flip he was in the floor below them.

Sakura quickly exited the room via the door and ran down the stairs. She entered the corridor and saw Naruto run out the door with a bag full of what seems to be medicine.

"Come back here, brat!" yelled one of the doctors.

Naruto ran out of the hospital and sped into his apartment, where he grabbed a t-shirt and a few of his kunai. He then proceeded to run into the forests that were near the training grounds. He sat high in the trees, playing with the kunai that he brought with him. He looked at the blue sky and watched as the clouds floated by. He thought back to his past, form the time that everyone beat him up to the time Sasuke slammed a Chidori into his lung and finally to the most recent event of Sakura slapping him and calling him a liar.

"My life here is so miserable," he muttered to himself. "I should leave." With that in mind, he jumped down from the tree and landed gracefully on the soft grass below. Naruto thought about his options of escaping.

There was the main gate, which was heavily guarded at all times, and there was a side gate to the west of the village, and although it was not as heavily guarded, people trying to escape have always been caught at that gate. There was another option, through the forest and over the walls, but although the place is not guarded, the place was dangerous, seeing that at night one could easily get lost in its confusing trap and the patrol team always passed through that area. Naruto weighed his options. The main gate was definitely out as it was too heavily guarded and he didn't stand a chance of outrunning the ANBU. The western side gate was an option, but he didn't want to risk getting caught. Then he'll really be in trouble. So, in the end, only one option was left. The forest was his best chance of getting out of the village.

Decision made, he walked into the forest slowly. There was no need to hurry, as he had to wait until nightfall to make his escape. Naruto looked at his luggage, which consisted of a bag of medicines and a pair of black shirts with a close to nil supply of kunai. He sighed and continued deeper into the forest. Naruto summoned Gamakichi, and had him deliver the necklace to Shizune, because going to Tsunade could result in Gamakichi becoming dried toad meat, considering Tsunade's temper.

Nightfall came slowly, but Naruto was patient. He observed the shift change while waiting. From there he found out that the shift changes every hour or so and the fresh shifts do not arrive for at least five minutes. That is plenty of time to allow him to escape form the walls. Naruto waited for the next shift change, which came about fifteen minutes later. He climbed up the wall as soon as the old shifts retired into the camp. Naruto climbed the wall without much effort and silently jumped to the other side of the wall. As soon as Naruto landed on the other side, he ran as fast as he could into the forest. The guards seemed to not notice anything. Naruto stopped as he already ran for four hours straight. He was deep in the forest and was panting loudly as he leaned against a fallen tree.

"Ok. I'm out of the wretched place. Now where to?" he wondered out loud as he thought of the places that he could go to without being caught. There was the Stone or Cloud, which both are enemies of Konoha, which means that he wouldn't get caught in there too easily. But no one he knew was staying there and he could easily get lost. Then there was Wave or Snow, he could go there, but Konoha would easily acquire information about him seeing there are allies.

He could go to the Sand, he was sure that Gaara wouldn't mind, but he didn't want to risk the Sand and Leaf getting into a war because of him. There was the Sound, but he wouldn't go to that snake even if it killed him. Mist and Rain were no good, as they do not really appreciate other ninja on their turf. Grass was not going to work, as they hated Konoha with a passion.

"So, the only option left is to wander around the world, huh?" said Naruto out loud. "Well, might as well leave early and hope that I can reach a town by sunrise." Naruto started walking, but it was so dark that he tripped on something and fell down. He cursed and went to see what it was, but he couldn't see very clearly despite the moonlight available to him. He touched it and was surprised that it was soft, much like a human's face. He moved his hand upwards, and was surprised when he felt hair.

"A human? Here?!" exclaimed Naruto. He moved his hand towards the centre of the person's face, and felt the nose. He placed his hand under it, and was surprised that

The person was still breathing, but barely. "Still alive! Make a fire to check for injuries!"

Naruto immediately got to work making a small fire beside the person. He was able to see the person clearly now. It was a girl, and she wore a Sound head protector. She had long straight hair that went down to her back and a cute face.

"She looks familiar. Where did I see her?" thought Naruto out loud as he tried to think back to the Chuunin Exams. Then he snapped his fingers as he remembered. "You're the girl that fought against Shikamaru, Tsuchi Kin!"

Naruto then compared her pulse with his won pulse. "Weak pulse. Luckily I learned some of the basic medical training." Naruto hovered his hands some two inches over her heart and began to gather charka onto his palms. A soft green glow appeared at his palm as he continued to do so. After about twenty minutes, her face looked livelier. Her breathing grew louder and her eyes started to open. She let out a small moan. Naruto relaxed as the medical procedure took its toll on him. He fell back to the floor, panting and sweating.

"Where am I?" asked Kin as she scanned her surroundings. She sat up and yawned.

"You're awake," said Naruto as his panting eased. Kin looked at Naruto and gasped.

"You're the one on the Uchiha's team!" she exclaimed.

"And you were sent to kill him," said Naruto. Kin moved her hand to her senbon holster, but Naruto stopped her by grabbing her hand. She struggled and used her other hand to attempt to punch him, but Naruto grabbed her other hand. She struggled against his hold, which caused her to fall back to the ground back first, bringing him with her. They looked at the position they were in, Naruto above her, with both her arms pinned down by his own at both sides and his legs between her own. They each blushed.

"Listen. I'm going to get off you now, but you have to promise not to attack me, got it?" asked Naruto. Kin nodded. Naruto smiled and got up. As soon as he did, she grabbed a few senbon needles and threw them at Naruto. It hit him square in the heart and he fell down, not moving. Kin had another senbon ready in her hand as he went to check on the seemingly dead Naruto.

As soon as she got to approximately one meter of the dead man, another Naruto jumped out from behind the tree that was beside the dead 'Naruto'. He took her by surprise and managed to catch both of her arms and twisted them back to behind her back and was held with one hand. The other hand went down and unstrapped her senbon holster and threw it away to the dead 'Naruto', who got up and caught it before throwing it away to the dark forest.

"God, I save you and this is the thanks I get," Naruto said as he sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have bothered at all." He released her and sat down against a tree behind him. Kin was confused.

"What do you mean you saved me?" asked Kin. Naruto went to the small fire and sat beside it. He took a stick and poked at the dancing red flames.

"I found here, in the forest, with a weak pulse," answered Naruto. "You were lucky. From what I remembered, your teammates died. Gaara killed one and the other one was used as a sacrifice for the Edo Tensei. You were also used for the jutsu, but somehow you survived."

"Huh?" asked a confused Kin. Naruto sighed.

"It's been a few months since the Chuunin Exams where the Sand and Sound invaded. The Third Hokage fought with Orochimaru. Orochimaru used a jutsu that required a sacrifice to use, to summon a dead man. One sacrifice for one dead man, ad he summoned two. You and the other teammate with the broken arms were the sacrifices," explained Naruto.

"So, I didn't die?" asked Kin again.

"No, you didn't, miraculously, but you would have if I didn't help just now," answered Naruto. "And the thanks I get is an attempt to kill me. Great." Kin looked guilty.

"Sorry," muttered Kin.

"Ha! If everyone that tried to kill me from the day I was born said sorry, the list would be al least go from here to the Sand!" said Naruto loudly.

"I said I was sorry!" yelled back Kin as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "I thought you were trying to kill me!"

"Ha! What gave you that idea!" blurted out Naruto.

"I…I…"she began, but couldn't finish as she sobbed softly. Naruto saw this.

"Don't cry, Kin. Look, I'm sorry for raising my voice, okay?" apologized Naruto as he stroked Kin's back. Kin stopped sobbing and looked up. Her eyes were watery and they glittered in the night sky when the moonlight reflected off them. "Go to sleep. You've just recovered."

At Konoha…

"Tsunade-sama! Bad news!" yelled Shizune as she rushed into the Tsunade's office. This snapped the sleeping blonde woman wide awake.

"Huh, what is it?!" she demanded. Shizune held out the frog, which held out the necklace.

"I'm afraid Naruto's gone," said Shizune sadly.

"What the fuck? What do you mean gone? As in dead gone, or as in missing gone?" asked Tsunade.

"He left the village," announced Gamakichi. There was a moment of silence before…

"HE WHAT!!!" Tsunade yelled.

"But why would he do that?" asked Shizune.

"I think it was because of a girl named Sakura," answered Gamakichi.

"What? Sakura-san? How?" asked Shizune.

"I don't exactly know. But he did say this- Uzumaki Naruto is dead in Konoha," said Gamakichi.

"What do we do? Do we mark him as a missing ninja or do we cover his escape?" asked Shizune.

"Uzumaki Naruto is dead in Konoha. How do you mark a dead man a missing ninja?" countered Tsunade with a smirk.

"You are a genius, Tsunade-sama!" exclaimed Shizune.

"But I would like to have a word with that Sakura. Get her in my office the first thing in the morning," said Tsunade firmly.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!" answered Shizune.

"Ladies, if there's nothing else, I would like to go back to sleep," announced Gamakichi.

"Good night, and thank you," said Shizune before the small red amphibian disappeared.

"So, Tsunade-sama, there is one tiny problem left in the plan to cover Naruto-kun's escape," said Shizune.

"What is it?" asked Tsunade.

"How do we make him die in Konoha?" asked Shizune. Tsunade thought about it.

"Yes, that proves to be quite a problem. But I think I have a solution. We will say that we sent him on a solo mission in a hurry as soon as he could walk. But the mission proved too much for him and he was KIA," finished Tsunade, looking proud of herself.

"That is a solution, but how will that go unnoticed by the council? I mean, they would ask why you sent him and not others," said Shizune. Tsunade brainstormed for a solution.

"We'll tell them that the others were not fit enough for the mission, and that Naruto has the 'special' healing powers that put him in an advantage. But what we didn't anticipate was that the wound he received would get in his way," finished Tsunade again.

"Ok. Then it's set! We'll announce Naruto's death a few days later," said Shizune.

"Good, because I need to sleep," said Tsunade as she rested her head against the table, sleeping instantly.


	2. On the Way Out

Hiya guys! It's me again! I'm glad that I got al least some reviews, as I wasn't really expecting any… Ok! I just want to tell Mr. Lee that unfortunately that I don't have the skills to write a love triangle. Sorry…

**And there's something I want to clear up. How Kin survived, that is for me to know and for you to go wondering crazy about, so PLEASE don't say that she is supposed to be dead and her soul sucked into oblivion. Besides, I'm the author here, and I say that she's alive, and what I say about her, goes. **

**And there's one more thing, although I really appreciate your reviews, what I need most is some suggestions for the story. Just don't give me like…oh Naruto grows strong and comes back and says I hate you and then kills everyone. Fuck no, man! Sorry, Please disregard the foul language…but I really think that's not sane…**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

Naruto watched as the fire cooked breakfast, which consisted of two rabbits. The pleasant scent reached the still asleep Kin, and woke her up from her deep slumber.

"Awake, I see," said Naruto as he flipped the half cooked rabbit.

"Smells good," said Kin as she stretched her body.

"There's river nearby, stream actually, so wash up. Breakfast will be ready by then," said Naruto. Kin nodded and left for the river.

At Konoha…

Sakura entered the Hokage's office.

"You wanted to see me, Tsunade-sama?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, it's about your teammate," answered Tsunade as she placed her elbows on the desk and rested her chin on her intertwined hands.

"Sasuke-kun?" asked Sakura.

"No, Uzumaki Naruto," was the answer.

"What about him?"

"What did you do to him?"

"Me? Nothing."

"Really? Then why did he die?"

"What!?"

"Oh yes. A small frog told me everything."

"He's dead?"

"Oh yes, and the frog says it's your entire fault," her tone was menacing.

"What?!"

"I'll ask one more time. What did you do to him?" repeated Tsunade in an angry tone. Her eyes were fixed on glaring holes at the pink haired girl.

"He hurt Sasuke-kun, so I confronted him and I told him he's better off dead!" confessed Sakura as she finally popped under Tsunade's glaring and killing intent.

"YOU WHAT!!!" yelled Tsunade. "WOMAN!!! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!!"

"Tsunade-sama! Calm down!" Shizune said. Tsunade took a deep breath and appeared to be more relaxed.

"Sakura, do you know what you have done is unforgivable? You struck him at his weakest and forced him to break down. He was expecting gratitude for risking his life, but you slapped him! That's low, even Itachi doesn't do that," lectured Shizune.

"Enough talk! You, Haruno Sakura, have been charged for the death of Uzumaki Naruto indirectly and will have your ninja license suspended for six months and will be stripped of the Konoha headband. A fine of 300,000 ryo will be issued to you," announced Tsunade.

"Good lord! 300,000!" exclaimed Shizune.

"Shizune, where's the hospital?" asked Tsunade.

"Umm…directly behind us," answered Shizune after some thinking. Tsunade got up from her seat and went behind Sakura.

"Sakura!" called Tsunade. Sakura turned around, a super powered fist connected with her face, sending her out of the office via the glass window and in the general direction of the hospital.

"Tsunade-sama, that was harsh!" exclaimed Shizune.

"Huh, no it wasn't!" countered Tsunade. "That was for personal reasons."

"But still, you could have killed her!" exclaimed Shizune.

"But I didn't now, did I?" countered Tsunade again. "Besides, she deserves it."

With Naruto…

Naruto sat on the ground, eating the cooked rabbit silently as he watched his surroundings form the corner of his eyes. Kin was doing the same, as no one is to be trusted. Suddenly the bush behind rustled. Naruto turned around, and was met with a blade that sliced cleanly through his throat, successfully beheading him.

Kin stared in shock as the bloody body of Naruto fell to the ground. The owner of the blade revealed himself as an ANBU of the Leaf.

"Ha! I finally killed the demon!" yelled the ANBU as he looked at the bloody body of Naruto. "I finally killed you!"

"Too bad," said a voice from behind. "FINISH HIM!"

A long blade came from behind the ANBU and stabbed him right in the heart. He fell down dead instantly. Naruto stepped out of the bush with an armed frog about his height. Naruto looked at the dead ANBU as his clone dispelled.

"Damn, I need to leave now," said Naruto as he hastily packed his belongings.

"Where're you going?" asked Kin.

"I need to leave now if I want to live," said Naruto. "The ANBU will be catching up to me soon."

"I'll come with you!" exclaimed Kin. Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"Huh?" asked a confused Naruto.

"I said I'm coming with you!" repeated Kin.

"Oh no you're not. The last thing I want is a girl slowing me down and then I'll really be in trouble,'" exclaimed Naruto.

"What? You think I'll be a burden?!" yelled Kin. Naruto blinked several times.

"Yes, I think you are," answered Naruto calmly.

"What! Are you picking a fight with me?!" yelled Kin.

"You wanna try repeating that again? I don't think half of The Nation of Fire heard your voice," said Naruto. 

"I'm gonna beat you up so badly that you wished you were never born," growled Kin as she cracked her knuckles.

"Then bring it on, woman!" yelled Naruto as he got into his fighting stance. Suddenly the bushes rustled and a few blurs appeared to surround them.

"Damn, ANBU! Happy now, woman?!" snapped Naruto as he got ready for battle.

"Shut p and fight, bastard!" countered Kin as her back and Naruto's came close together.

"There are three ANBU here. Pick one and the rest is mine," said Naruto. Kin nodded.

"Looks like we hit the jackpot, captain," said one of the ANBU. "The demon and a Sound bitch."

"We shall kill the demon and then have some fun with the girl before killing her as well," said another ANBU with a perverted voice.

"You people are so sick!" exclaimed Kin.

"Now you know," said Naruto as he looked at the ANBU in front of him. "Have you picked out which one you want to fight?"

"Yes," answered Kin.

"Then let's get this over with!" yelled Naruto as he released a huge amount of chakra from his body into the atmosphere, causing the pebbles nearby to rattle and shake whist the sand and dust rose.

"So much chakra…" The ANBU muttered.

"I will make you pay for what you and Konoha did to me all this years!" Naruto yelled as he flashed through a rather long set of hand seals. "My secret technique! Fuuton! Kaze no Fuuma Shuriken!"

The air around Naruto started to gather at his palms and he was firmly holding in his hand a wind Devil Windmill within seconds. He threw it high in the air and made another set of handseals.

"Fuuton! Kaze no Fuuma Shuriken Kage Bunshin!" The ANBU gasped, and tried to flee as soon as they realized what was going to happen to them, but was too late as the vast amount of the Wind Devil Windmill rained on them from above and cut them into pieces, cutting down trees in the process.

Naruto looked at Kin- she was fighting a losing battle. The ANBU was toying with her. A small gash was seen at her arm and another at her thigh. The ANBU kicked her in the gut, causing her to fall back. Naruto took this time to make a Wind Devil Windmill, and he flung it towards the ANBU. It took off the ANBU's head, and his body fell down limb.

"You all right?" Naruto asked as he bent down to check on her.

"I'm fine," she muttered as she tried to get up. The wounds got in the way and she fell down flat on her butt, holding her wounded thigh.

"Let me help you with that," Naruto said as he took out some bandages and some medicine from his bag. He concentrated his chakra into a sharp razor and cut off part of her pants to reveal her wound, and her creamy white thigh. He blushed, as did she and Kin turned away. Naruto applied some medical cream on her wound, and bandaged it. He did the same for her arm and she muttered a small thanks.

Naruto smiled, and offered a hand to her, which she gladly took. "Where are you off to now?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know. The Sound Village never accepts failures…"she said.

"Then go to Konoha," Naruto suggested.

"Why?"

"It's a place that may accept you. Just take off the Sound Headband first," Naruto said. Kin took off her headband, Naruto did the same, and gave it to Kin. "Show this to Tsunade, and tell her Naruto told you to come. She'll know."

Kin nodded, and took his head band.

"What about you?" Kin asked.

"There's no place for me there," he said. "But there may be one for you."

Kin's face looked a little worried. "Don't worry, we will still be in contact. I will be sending letters every now and then. When Konoha needs me, I will be there."

"Thank you," Kin said. Naruto smiled and ushered her in the direction of Konoha. Kin took off, but not before looking back at Naruto.

Naruto waved her on, and she took off smiling. It will be another few years before they hear from each other again, but during this time…they already have a deep feeling for each other…

**I'm sorry if the ending is lame… I'm in college now…I wont get to update as much…but I'll see what I can do…please…don't flame me too much…**


	3. As The Time Passes

Konoha, the Hidden Village in the Leaf. Kin was currently standing in front of Tsunade in her office as Tsunade listened to her explaining about how Naruto suggested her to come.

"So, that's how I ended up here in Konoha," Kin finished her tale. She took a deep breath, trying to get the air back in her lungs after so much talking.

Tsunade looked at the headband. "Did he say anything else?"

"He said that when Konoha needs him, he will come back," Kin said. Tsunade smiled.

"I see. I shall have you replace Uzumaki Naruto in Team 7. Your teammates are Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke under jounin Hatake Kakashi. I believe they have a meeting tomorrow at 7 in training ground 7," Tsunade said as she handed her a Konoha head band.

"Thank you," Kin said and left. Thus her journey in Konoha to test her patience on the tardiness of the said one-eyed jounin Kakashi begins.

Naruto travelled due north, travelling towards the Nation of Lightning and Nation of the Snow. He would not be seen by anyone he didn't want to see for the next few years...

His departure has been for six months. No word came from him. Kin was getting worried that Naruto was somewhat in trouble. Every day she would check with Tsunade for letters.

Time has polished the young girl. She was now a chuunin, only after six month of becoming a Konoha ninja. Her body developed quite well and so did her skills. Beautiful and deadly, underestimating her would mean one's death, as many people found out when the exams took place. Her genjutsu was second to Yuuhi Kurenai and one Yakumo, her personal student. Her taijutsu was considered weak, compared to her genjutsu, and her ninjutsu was only outmatched by her genjutsu.

Ninjas from Naruto's batch have also endured the tests of time, maturing and becoming reliable young men and women, and a formidable force to fight, individually or not. They have grown closer and have trained together, and strong bonds were built. Uchiha Sasuke was not who he used to be, he opened up to a lot of people, accepting help here and there if he needed it. Kakashi was very proud of him and Sakura, as she was now a mistress in medical techniques and not to mention her defensive techniques were not to be reckoned with. Shikamaru became the main strategist in Konoha, and has an apprentice that is Konohamaru's friend, Udon. How they met was quite simple, and Shikamaru saw the potential for the young boy to become a top strategist, maybe surpassing even him. The rest of them had made it into chuunin as well, and were much trusted my Tsunade to handle missions well over their levels.

The six months had done Naruto some good as well, slowly refining him from the rough stone he was into something else. He has gotten stronger in the past few months, but still a far cry from being a legend. Naruto had some strange friends on the way to help him; some were hated in parts of the world, some hidden from the outside world. He thought of Kin everyday, as did she, but his time to return was nowhere near.

His first letter came another two months later, and she eagerly opened it. The folded paper she unfold, and the words faced her as her brown eyes scanned over them.

_Dear Kin-chan,_

_I am sorry to be writing this late. But some matters in hand have forced me to hide for some time. I've met someone unexpected and they have helped me a lot, rescuing me from time to time and training me. I'm currently with them now, and one of them strangely likes to watch Jaws…The day I return draws near, and please tell that old hag to quit drinking so much!_

_Naruto _

Kin folded the piece of paper, placing it in her pocket. A small smile graced her soft beautiful features, and her eyes shone brightly with joy.

"What did he say?" Tsunade saw her smile, and decided to ask.

"He said he'll be back soon, and he said for you to quit drinking too much," Kin said trying to suppress her laughter. Tsunade took deep breaths, her eyes twitching like hell.

"I'm calm, I'm completely calm," Tsunade muttered to herself as she took deep breaths to calm herself.

"Tsunade-sama, I'll take my leave now," Kin said bowing in respect. Kin turned and left the office.

Three years have passed since Naruto's departure. A rumour had spread that a powerful ninja walks the earth, capable of killing an army of jounin. His name was quite simple- Kyu. The name itself struck fear into enemies' hearts and minds, making even the strongest ANBU look like an under-graduate. Another rumour also said that Kyu had blue eyes. This rumour spread when a man came back from a desert dehydrated and nearly dead, but he claimed that a man with blue eyes had saved him. The man had said that his rescuer was Kyu.

A man stood in front of the gates, the ANBU had halted him. He wore a brown robe with a food that covered the whole of his body, down to his feet. The hood shadowed most of his face. The ANBU had let him in after he said that he was coming for a visit, and the man went on his way.

Tsunade was doing paperwork, and sighed when a knock on the door came. The door opened, the hooded man stepped in.

"Tsunade-sama, I have a message for you," the man hooded man said. Tsunade looked at the hooded man.

"Who are you?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"My name is of no concern. But I have an important message from one Uzumaki Naruto, and please call the one named Kin," the man said.

Kin appeared in the room seconds later, and the man nodded and took out a letter, handing it over to Tsunade, who opened the letter. The man took another one out, and gave it to Kin. She eagerly opened the letter, and read it.

_Dear Kin-chan, _

_This will probably mark the last time I write to you for a long time. I will be coming back soon and I hope that you have found happiness in your life in Konoha. If you are reading this letter now, that means that I may probably be dead by now, or maybe if I'm lucky, just captured. My friend will tell you everything, and if I don't return in three months, forget about me..._

_Naruto_

Kin scrunched up the paper in her hands, and her heart felt heavy.

"He is captured by the Akatsuki," the man said. "The organisation consists of nine missing ninja from the four corners of the globe and they have the strength individually to kill any of the leaders of the Five Great Nation, yourself included."

"How do you know all this?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm part of it," the man answered. He pulled his hood and he smiled.

"Uchiha Itachi," Tsunade got ready to fight.

"Please, please, I'm not the enemy," Itachi said. Tsunade relaxed.

"Is he really dead?" Kin asked, her voice choked up.

"I don't know," Itachi answered truthfully. "But Kisame and Deidara are watching him, so he won't come to too much harm."

"Tsunade-sama, I have a verbal message from the boy himself," Itachi said.

"What has he got to say?"

"Don't drink too much," Itachi said. Tsunade twitched.

"Tsunade-sama, I will take my leave now. The organisation may get suspicious," Itachi bowed and disappeared.

"Believe in him, girl," Tsunade said. "He'll come back for sure." The younger girl could only nod.

The three months passed quickly enough, people came and went out of the gates, but still no sign of Naruto was seen. The night of the last day of the three month period came, and Kin lay on her bed, hopeless. Maybe he's really dead, she thought as tears made her way down her eyes. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She felt a hand wipe away her tears, and opened her eyes immediately. She stared into a pair of soft blue eyes, and s devilishly handsome smile. Even in the dark, the moon gave enough light to see that the man had blonde hair.

"Naruto?" the name came to her instinctively.

"I'm back," answered softly as he wiped away the tears that flowed out of her eyes. She hugged the young man, crying into his chest whist he stroked the back of her head.

"I thought you died," Kin said.

"Uzumaki Naruto doesn't die that easily," Naruto said. "And besides, I promised I'll come back, didn't I?"

The girl cried harder into his chest, and he hugged her tighter. She cried out of happiness, out of relief that he wasn't dead. He just hugged her, and let her cry all she wanted.

**There...another chapter up...whew...this is taking its toll on lil' ol' me. i await your reviews, and suggestions...and if anyone dares to even show me flame...i'll insult you until you die... so...no flames...I LOVE YOU!**


	4. Author's Notes

Hmm…I'm thinking about crossing over The Frozen Throne with my story. What do you guys think? I want your opinion on this. Pls either leave a review or send me a private message so that I may know what to do next. Thanx!! I love y'all!!!


	5. His Return

**THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE AT LAST!!! ****THREE FUCKING MONTHS OF FUCKING FREEDOM!!!**** HELL YEAH!!! IF YOU ARE FROM CHUNG HWA MIDDLE SCHOOL, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, JUST REMEMBER THAT NO MATTER ****WHO**** YOU ARE, AS LONG AS YOU ARE FROM F5B OF 2006, I FUCKING HATE YOU WITH ALL MY GUTS!!! Other than that, I love you guys! **

Her soft brown eyes scanned his physique from top to bottom. She went round him once, her hands on her chin as if deep in thought. Finally satisfied, she gave him a bone crushing hug. He could hear the cracking of his bones, and his eyes felt like they were about to pop out of his head.

"Let…go…I'm dying…" he managed to gasp out. She realized what she was doing, and ceased doing it immediately. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with as much air as he can at once.

"You've changed quite a bit, haven't you?" she said rather than asked, as she eyed his form now and compared them to when he was twelve.

"People change, baa-chan, when then they grow and time passes," he recited.

She nodded, and smiled at his changes. His hair was more tamed than a few years back, no longer jutting out like an urchin, but rather it has come down flat. He kept his hair tied using a piece of cloth, in a ponytail. His whisker marks are less visible, and not visible at all if not seen closely. His electric blue eyes showed calmness and maturity, rather than haste like they used to. He was taller now, obviously, almost taller than her. His shoulders were broader, and his build more lean than before. That much can be seen from his attire, which consists of a pair of grey trousers and a dark brownish green shirt.

"You called for me, Hokage-sama?" a soft feminine voice rang out.

"Ah, Kin," Tsunade called. "You're finally here. We have some things to discuss."

"Like what, Hokage-sama?" she asked.

"Matters regarding this man here," the blonde woman answered, pointing to Naruto.

"What about Naruto?" she asked.

"Naruto is a name no longer applicable in Konoha," Naruto said.

"That's right. Naruto was dead two years ago," Tsunade said. "Killed by his very own team mate, Haruno Sakura."

"Sakura-san?!" she exclaimed.

"He died, from a broken heart and broken dreams," she said.

"So, I am now no longer Uzumaki Naruto. My name is now Takano Kyouhei," Naruto announced.

"Kyouhei?" the name danced on both women's lips. It has a nice ring to it, they both thought.

"Kyouhei, I would like to know about what happened between you and Sakura-san. If you don't mind, can you please tell me?" Kin asked, somewhat reluctantly, fearing that it would hurt him.

"Hmm, I would rather not…it's a dead man's story after all," he said, making her a little down. "However, I'm sure that the kind Hokage wouldn't mind telling you that."

"W-What?" Tsunade managed to make out.

"You have had a hard day. Why not take a break by telling this beautiful girl here a story?" he said, his hands finding her waist, making her blush.

"Hell no, Shizune will kill me if she knows I'm slacking off. I have to finish this paperwork as soon as possible."

"How about a slight change of roles. I'll take over for you in the paperwork while you tell her the story. The longer you tell, the more paperwork I will manage to do," he offered with a smile. Tsunade couldn't resist the chance to lessen her paperwork, and immediately agreed to the proposal.

"Sit down girl, and let me tell you, the tale of a sad young boy, who works hard to gain acknowledgement, a young boy that has the will of iron, and cherishes all he has with his very life. He would gladly give his life for the ones he love. That was Uzumaki Naruto. From a young age, he was abused for something…" Tsunade began her story, Kin listening attentively. He sat behind her desk, and started to unroll the first scroll. What he saw was quite unexpected.

_Mission Request to search for '__Kyu__'_

_It has been confirmed from our spies that the other hidden villages have moved to find this '__Kyu__'. Our scouts have a lead where he might be, and we humbly request that Hokage-sama send us to retrieve him. If the mission is successful, he will prove to be a valuable asset to the village, if what the rumors said is true. _

_ANBU team 5 _

He took the Hokage's seal and stamped on the line that read, 'Mission Approved'. Good luck trying to find him, idiots, he thought as he rolled the scroll and placed it in the basket that said 'Completed Paperwork'.

"…they were both empty, all tired. But he kept going, even if his legs and arms wouldn't move, he crawled on the ground like a worm, moving his body inch by inch, using every ounce of his energy to save her from the tight sandy clutches that trapped and suffocated her. He then…" her story continued, every bit touching the young girl that sat in front of her.

He unrolled the nth scroll of the day, and read the contents of the scroll. His eyes scanned through every word, before lifting the Hokage's stamp for the nth time that day, stamping where he felt was right.

"…the Chidori went right through his lung, and he would have died if he were a normal person. But his will and determination was strong, and he kept fighting to free himself from death. He carried Sasuke back here on his back, with the hole in his lung. When he returned, we could see the blood trail like a miniature river of red, dripping from his body like a tiny waterfall. Finally, he collapsed in front of the wooden gates, smiling, knowing that he had done what he set out to do. He was…" Kin was deeply entranced by her story, for Tsunade's words made her felt like she was Naruto in the story, and she could feel everything he had felt, the pain of the hole in the lung, his jealousy when he knew that Kakashi favored Sasuke over to him and Sakura, his happiness when he knew he has succeeded in bringing back Sasuke.

He finished the last of the scrolls, and yawned slightly. His gaze feel out to outside, the scenery of Konoha. It hasn't changed much, he thought. Genins were doing D- ranked missions, rushing here and there, the people smiling and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the village.

"…and she slapped him. Hard in the face. He was devastated, for he expected her gratitude for bringing him back to her. But instead she slapped him, and said that he was a liar and he should have just died. That broke his heart, for the one he loved most broke him. He died that day, Uzumaki Naruto, from a broken heart and broken dreams," she ended the story.

Kin was partly in tears, she was so touched by the ad story. She looked at the young man behind the desk.

"How can one boy survive through so much?" she asked.

"I wasn't one boy, Kin-chan. I was one boy with a small family. My precious people were there for me," he said. "Like baa-chan here for example, she is like a mother figure to me. And Shikamaru, he is a god friend. He sticks by me and helps me a lot. Chouji also helped me a lot. We are all good friends."

"The paperwork's done, baa-chan," he said as he pointed to the large stack of completed paperwork. She smiled and stood up.

"Come, let's get lunch. I'm hungry," she exclaimed. He smiled, and nodded.

"Coming, Kin-chan?" he asked, as he held out a hand to her. She smiled, and took his hand into hers, and happily walked by his side.

**HOLIDAYS!!!! I graciously thank you for your patience, and if you are reading this story for the first time, please ignore this note. Other than that, I love you!! **


	6. The One Known as Uzumaki Naruto

**HIYA, DOODS!!! SORRY OFR NOT UPDATING IN LIKE…FOREVER…I HAD A WRITER'S BLOCK…BIG TIME….REALLY BIG TIME….AND IT CERTAINLY PISSED ME OFF….BUT NOW….I THINK I CAN WHIP UP SOMETHING THAT IS AT LEAST READABLE…HAHA….**

He walked down the street casually, just like any other man, without a care in the world. His hands found themselves in his pockets, tucked away comfortably. His soft blue eyes kept wandering here and there, absorbing the sights in as he tried to recall his memories here. His smile was small, because as he walked down the street, people didn't recognize him as the one Uzumaki Naruto. Nope, he fitted in like a piece of the puzzle, sliding in place amongst the thousands.

He stopped at a particular place, one which he never seen before. Children gathered around it, sitting on the floor as they cheered. It was a puppet show. This is interesting, he thought. Must be a travelling puppeteer. The show was half way done, as puppets were already moving before he got there. The puppeteer narrated the story behind the stage, using his amazing skills to entertain and please children. It was the story of the First and Second Hokage, the founders of the village. The story told the tale of two men, brothers, and their family, and what they did to ensure their families survived the warring times of the past. It told of their amazing strength and their will to protect those close to them. The story was something he heard during his travels, from a lot of people. He moved on, leaving the children to their laughter and smiles.

He came to a junction, and decided to turn right. He walked on aimlessly; he had never been into this part of the village before. Must be a new section, he thought. He wandered on, finding himself rather lost in the new area, and decided that the best course of action was to ask his way around. He entered one of the stores, randomly. It was a small store, compared to the other stores. The insides were filled with plants, exotic plants that took different shapes. Some had twisted stems that twisted at impossible angles, some had strange patterns, like the branches grew in levels, like the floors in flats, some had rather strange leaf patterns, and some had strange leaf colours. The shop was cleverly designed, because it was the last shop in the row, the owner decided to break down part of the walls and part of the ceiling and replaced it with glass, with can be opened and closed like a window. The warm sunglow made the plants look comforting to the eyes and made him feel at ease.

"May I help you, sir?"

He turned to the voice, eyes widened at first, but soon he smiled. A woman with pink hair greeted him. Her hair was long, and tied up at the back in a ponytail, expect for a strand or two, which feel on the side of her face. She wore a dark tee and a pair of worn out jeans and some sandals. Strapped to her front was a dirty white apron. Her face looked worn out, as if she had been working for a long time now, but her jade green eyes that shone brilliantly covered that. Her smile was warm, welcoming.

"Mom, I'm back!" he heard someone yell from the back. He recognized that voice immediately, and he gave out a small laughter.

"Haruno Sakura…" he whispered lightly. He shook his head, and sighed.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

"Hmm?" he spaced out, but suddenly snapped back into reality. "Oh, I wanted to start a garden, but had no idea how, so I came here to see what's interesting."

"Well, you came to the right place then. My mother can tell you everything," she said happily.

"Sakura-san, are you in?" a feminine voice sounded out. A voice he knew too well.

"Kin-chan," he called out. She was puzzled for a moment, and then she realized who he was.

"Kyouhei-kun?" He turned and smiled. "What brings you here?"

"You know him?" Sakura asked.

"Yea, he's…well…its' complicated," she answered while a blush crept to her cheeks. That of course didn't go unnoticed by the two pink haired women and the young blonde.

"Are you guys dating?" she asked, getting excited.

"Sakura-san!" her voice sounded embarrassed, and he face was flushed.

"Only of she says yes," he replied, and his arm crept around her back to her other arm and pulled her closer. Now she was just too embarrassed to speak.

"Well, it seems to me that you youngsters are having a good time, no?" Sakura's mother intervened.

"Mom, they're dating!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Now, now, dear, enough teasing her already; she looks like she's going to melt," the older woman said. Indeed, for her face was beet red, and was half buried in the young blonde's chest. Everybody laughed, except for Kin, because she was just too flushed. He chuckled and released her.

"Why don't you two go somewhere to get a drink? I'll meet up with you as soon as I finished shopping for seeds to plant my garden," the young blonde suggested, earning a grateful smile from the dark haired girl. Kin pulled Sakura out of the shop, leaving them alone.

"So, Kyouhei-san, tell me your description of a garden," the elder woman said.

"Well…I want it to be…" Naruto started his description of a garden, while the older woman listened intently, but part of her mind couldn't help thinking that he seen this boy somewhere before. She just couldn't recall when and where.

Kin sat down on the wooden chair provided by the restaurant. Sakura had been glancing through the menu, looking for something nice to drink. Kin's mind was deep in thought. She kept thinking back to the part of the story when Sakura slapped Naruto. It was the reason she came to see the pink haired kunoichi today. The waitress took their order, and left them.

"Sakura-san," she began.

"Hmm?" was the cheerful reply she got.

"I want to ask you something," she said, her voice hesitant.

"What is it?" she pried.

"I want to know, what happened to your teammate," Kin said. Sakura gasped. Her eyes widened. Her hands clasped themselves over her open mouth. Her heart raced. She could predict what Kin was going to say next. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto was still discussing about the garden with the elder woman, who was giving him advices on how to plant and take care of the seeds.

"These seeds are really choosy. Be careful. If you put too much water, they'll die. If…" her explanation continued on, her details precise.

"Where do I even begin?" Sakura said, her voice trembling.

"You can start, Sakura-san, from the beginning. I want to hear your side of the story," Kin answered.

"Then, I'll have to start from the Academy," Sakura said. "We were twelve back then…"

**HOPE IT IS READABLE AT LEAST, TELL ME WHAT CHA THINK. THE MORE REVIEWS THE BETTER. ()**


	7. The One Known as Uzumaki Naruto 2

**MY HEAD HURTS…I NEED TO STOP AND REST…MAYBE WATCH SOME COMEDY MOVIE…MAYBE I SHOULD GET A NEW GAME TO PLAY…MAYBE I SHOULD….THERE ARE ENDLESS THINGS I WANT TO DO…LIKE GET A GIRLFRIEND…BUY A NEW PHONE…PLAY FOOTBALL…PLAY BADMINTON…AND DUNNO…GET LAID…YEA…WITHOUT A DOUBT…GET LAID….HAHA…ANYWAYS…ON WITH THE STORY…**

"I don't remember that much about the fight, actually…All I knew was that there was a huge brown, half crazy Gaara coming towards us, and I remembered staring right into his eyes….his yellowish black eyes….and then…black…"

Kin's gaze never shifted- it was on Sakura from the very beginning. Her hands were intertwined together, and her chin rested on them.

"I remember Kakashi-sensei saying that…it was…"

Naruto was strolling down the streets. His eyes scanned his surroundings, and then smirked. His paced increased; he quickly disappeared into the sea of people. He could see the figure above, standing on the roof; a frown was decorating the stalker's face. The young blonde then slipped away into the dark alleys, the only thing following him was his shadow.

"The fight was intense…they looked like they wanted to kill each other….I remember stepping in between them…I remember Kakashi-sensei appearing…I remember their faces…their…"

Sakura paused. Her mind scrambled for the right word. That feeling was not something that could be described in one word, at least not easily. That feeling that they wanted to fight to the death, that feeling that when they were stopped by the Copy Ninja, that feeling of dissatisfaction that she tried to stop them, that feeling of…there was no one word that could describe it.

"Anger…and sadness…Angry for stopping…and sadness of unable to finish the fight that was so close to seeing the outcome…the consequences…the price to pay for it…"

"I'm here!" the young blonde called as he entered the restaurant. The two girls turned to his sound, and were a bit surprised to see a girl on his back. Her dark blue, almost violet hair was long, but she tied it in a way so that it looked like a flower appeared behind her head. Her big eyes shone out like gems, gems of dark blue that seemed to be filled with happiness. Her small nose and lips complimented with her eyes and hair, add that to her fair skin, the result is a cute girl. She gave him a peck on his cheek, and he let her down from his shoulders. She grinned while closing one eye and her hand placed near her temple in a horizontal 'V'. Her other hand rested on her hip. One of her shoulders was exposed, as light violet shirt with a white skull design was designed for it. Her black leather skirt ended above her mid thigh, giving people a good view indeed of her creamy legs. She wore black shoes with white socks that went up to her mid calf.

"Hi hi, I'm Ayako," she introduced enthusiastically. This left the two older girls somewhat dumbfounded.

"Kyouhei-kun, who is this?" Kin asked, her voice was dripping with malice. "Why did she kiss you?"

"What??!! You didn't tell them about us?" Ayako exclaimed.

"Seeing you weren't here, I didn't see that as a necessity," the young blonde answered.

Ayako 'hmph'ed, like a child, "Guess I'll have to tell them myself then."

Kin was on the verge of killing someone, what she was hearing wasn't turning out to be good.

"I'm Ayako. I'm his sister," she said with a big grin on her face.

"Excuse me?" Sakura and Kin said together.

"She's my sister. She's thirteen," the young blonde said. "So, how's Shishou?"

"She sent me here. Said something about some look out for the dawn, blah blah blah," Ayako said in a bored tone, waving her hand. Everybody sweatdropped.

"You know, sis, you make a good messenger," the young blonde said.

"Really?" she asked, beaming.

"Yea," he said, making her jump in joy. "Only you have the power to bring down a nation to its knees by saying blah blah blah."

Ayako immediately stooped her shoulders in depression.

"You're so mean," she said as she repeatedly punched him. He laughed.

"Sit down and get some ice cream. My treat," he said, and she was immediately in a seat, calling her favorite ice cream, which was in fact, a mixture of everything.

Ayako looked at Sakura, her young brain working and thinking about something, her hand on her chin.

Suddenly she pointed at Sakura said "I remember you! You're the one that killed Naruto!"

For that, the young blonde glared at Ayako. She immediately stopped what she was doing, and quickly went to her ice cream.

"You know about that?" Sakura asked, her voice somewhat crocked.

"Sakura-san, everybody who is associated with Naruto in one way or another knows about it," the young blonde said.

"You mean you knew him?" she asked.

"We all did, and we all know," he said.

"Then are you-" she was cut off.

"It is in the past, it cannot be changed, and I am not here to kill anyone," he said.

"But, I want to see what he saw in you. I want to see…why he loved you," Kin said. Ayako nodded.

"Where was I?" she asked.

"You said Kakashi told you it was Naruto who saved you, not Sasuke-san," Kin answered.

"Right...well…I was surprised to say the least…"

He stood at the corner, his mind wandering to the times she said, the time when Gaara was insane. He could see her lips moving, he could see them, but no sound entered his ears, His pupils were out of focus, staring beyond what was there. His lips curved slightly into a small smile, as he recalled the times went though.

Good times, he thought, and bad times.

His eyes suddenly regained their focus, and he saw Ayako nod, and returned his own. He looked beyond the walls, outside, to where a presence was trying hard to conceal itself, though unsuccessfully.

"It would seem that we have an eavesdropper here," the young blonde said, loud enough so that the culprit himself could hear him.

"Reveal yourself before I cut you down," Ayako threatened. The figure came into their view, causing Sakura and Kin to gasp.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura managed to say.


	8. He lives in you

**I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO CONTINUE THIS STORY. TO BE FRANK, MY BRAIN IS HALF DEAD. SO NOW, WITH MY APARTMENT EERRRR…CONDO OUT OF ELECTRICITY AND MY THINGS ALL MESSED UP, I'M STUCK HERE IN THE STUDY ROOM WHERE I AM NOW CURRENTLY WRITING THIS CHAPPIE…STUPID, HUH?**

The air was quite tense to say the least. One could come in here with a knife and cut it like butter. Sasuke was seating next to Sakura, who was opposite to Kin and Ayako, who was currently eating her super large ice cream, while Kyouhei was standing behind them, arms folded in front of his chest, and his eyes closed while he listened to the surroundings. The immediate thing he heard was his story that Sakura was telling to Kin, and Sasuke was there listening, while Ayako was enjoying her super large ice cream. She always had a thing for ice creams.

"…I told him 'please…please save Sasuke for me. Please get him back for me…"

He remembered everything. What she said to him when he left for the mission to retrieve Sasuke, and what her expression was, how bad she looked like, and how that made his heart go down. He remembered everything.

"…he said 'I'll get him back, and that's a promise of a life time. Believe it!'…that was what he said when he left..."

His mind went back to the very moment he told her that, he remembered his smile that told her that he would do anything and risk his own life to drag the Uchiha prodigy back from the grasp of Orochimaru. He had to tap into the demonic power that was the Kyuubi, and fight a battle that might had cost him his life if he wasn't careful at all.

"That battle…" Sasuke said, surprising Sakura and Kin.

"What about that battle?" Kyouhei asked with his eyes still closed.

"That was one of the worst battles I had. He was strong. Very strong," Sasuke said.

"Naruto-kun was very strong, from what I remembered of him," Ayako said. "Sure he had a small arsenal of techniques, and sure he had poor control over his chakra, but he had determination and iron will that cannot be broken. His head may not be the brightest, but his eyes see all and can come up with a simple strategy that can almost guarantee victory against his opponent. He might not be skilled in terms of combat, but he has the energy and chakra to overpower and outlast his opponents easily. And from what I remembered before his death, he was quite a ninja."

"That time, he was bent on asking me to go back to Konoha with him. No matter how I overpowered him, he kept getting back up and continuing the fight. At one point, red chakra come out from him, and he was powerful. He flung me around like a rag doll, tossing me into walls and the water. His wounds regenerated itself at unimaginable speeds. As soon as the wound was there, it was gone. There wasn't even a scar to show," Sasuke described.

"That just shows how determined he is to bring you back to where you belong," Kyouhei said.

"Tell me something, Sasuke-san," Ayako began. "Why did you want to leave the village in the first place? I mean, you had friends, a strong sensei that would have taught you so much and a strong Hokage that would risk her life to save the village."

"I wanted…so much more. I wanted power. I wanted strength. I wanted it quickly. And I was willing to give anything, sacrifice anything I had for that. Orochimaru promised me immerse power in a short time and promised that I could kill my bother easily if I followed him. After I killed my brother, I would become his vessel. That was what we agreed on," Sasuke said, his head resting against his palm, his gaze fixed on the table.

"Power…" Kyouhei began. "So many crave it, and so many was consumed by it. When your spirit cannot contain the power you have, it will overcome you, control you and corrupt your soul."

"But I need to avenge my clan!" Sasuke snapped.

"If I remember correctly, Sasuke-san, Naruto said you had two goals," Ayako said.

Sasuke's eyes widened. He remembered something. It was long forgotten when his brother came to Konoha. It was long forgotten when Orochimaru came to him and made him that offer that he couldn't refuse. It was long forgotten when he almost betrayed his home.

"Yes…yes…I remember now….the first one was to avenge my clan…the second one was to…resurrect my clan and bring it to its former glory…" Sasuke said.

"And if Naruto hadn't saved you and brought back here, how are you planning on achieving your second goal?" Ayako asked.

"Sakura, after what I heard, after all this," Kin said. "I fail to see why you killed Naruto-kun."

"I failed to see why he loved you at all," Ayako said.

"He loved her," Kyouhei began. "Because he thought that she was beautiful and had something that she could call her own."

"And what might that be?" Sakura asked.

"Your personality, stupid," Kyouhei said while smiling. "He thought that you were unique, that you stand out from other girls, that you were strong, confident. He thought you were one of a kind."

Sakura looked into Kyouhei's electrifying blue eyes and felt some sort of sense of familiarity. It was like she almost knew this man standing here in front of her.

"Naruto?" she blurted out.

"No. he died a long time ago," Kyouhei answered.

"What would I give to have him back here," Sakura sobbed. "What would I do to have him here with us, to tell him that I was wrong, that I was the one at fault, and to tell him those two words I should have said when he brought back Sasuke-kun and keeping his promise."

"He would have become far stronger than anyone in our group. He was going to be Hokage. He was going to become the greatest ninja ever," Sasuke said, his voice quivering.

"He's not dead you know," Kyouhei said. This caused everyone to gasp. He pointed to her heart. "He lives in you."

"He's right. Naruto lives on, as long as someone has him in their heart, he will never die," Ayako said.

"So from today onwards, Uzumaki Naruto lives within you," he said, patting Sasuke and Sakura on the shoulder.

**I AM EXTREMELY TIRED RIGHT NOW. NO ELECTRIC…NO SLEEP…READ AND REVIEW. ITS MY FIRST CHAPPIE IN A LONG TIME. **


End file.
